Chapter 892: Sinister Test Question
Ye Mo felt a pang of apprehension. He didn't need the old man to concoct pills for him; his current power only required spirit-level 7 pills or lower. His sole objective was securing a spot in the herb valley.
He patted Mu Yiqing's shoulder. "Martial Brother Mu, let's be realistic; this top-ten ranking won't be easy." He doubted he could even achieve it. Using his Mist Lotus Heart Fire might guarantee first place, but he valued his longevity more.
Yan Zheng, observing from the sidelines, finally understood the Immortal Treasure Tower's seriousness. The Tower housed Golden Core and Nascent Soul primary-stage cultivators. Finding spirit herbs wasn't the challenge; transforming them into pills was. Master Kong Ye's pill-making expertise offered an easy path to spirit-condensing pills.
A bitter taste filled his mouth. They were vying for the chance to receive Master Kong Ye's services. A win for Ye Mo's team would greatly benefit his uncle.
Then, he saw Ye Mo. Stunned, he wondered how Ye Mo had entered and qualified. Had he secured representation from another sect? He yearned to ask but the tournament's imminent start prevented him.
"With the prizes announced, I urge everyone to strive for excellence. I hereby declare the 213th Pill Concoction Hall of Fame Tournament open!" Fireworks exploded with the announcer's declaration.
Participants entered the tournament arena using their jade cards. Ye Mo and Yiqing presented theirs and joined the others. Ye Mo immediately recognized the venue as a unique magical artifact. From the outside, it seemed small, but the interior was expansive; even with everyone seated, there was ample room. Each seat was shielded by a restriction, preventing observation by others.
A jade card materialized before each participant. Ye Mo saw images of twelve herbs. An examiner announced, "The first round lasts fifteen minutes. Ninety percent of participants will be eliminated."
Ye Mo was shocked, though others seemed prepared. The examiner continued, "You have images of twelve spirit herbs. Write their names and characteristics on the provided jade slip, then create a pill recipe."
Initially, Ye Mo found it simple; he was, after all, a Pill King. He quickly realized the difficulty of formulating even a single recipe. His initial impression stemmed from his expertise.
Scanning the jade card again, Ye Mo confirmed his familiarity with all twelve herbs—three of which he’d only learned about recently from "Things." He rejoiced. This question was tailored to his knowledge! Without "Things," he could only identify nine, a number he suspected most others wouldn't reach; the final three would be beyond their grasp.
He was about to begin writing when a chilling realization struck him. He nearly fell into Dark-faced Tong's trap! He'd almost begun writing before recognizing the danger. Only Dark-faced Tong, Light-faced Sima, and himself had read "Things." Those three herbs were undoubtedly planted by the two men!
Identifying those three would arouse suspicion. This was a sinister question, clearly targeting him!
Ye Mo cursed and listed only nine herbs. Elimination was preferable to death. He suspected, however, that even nine would suffice; some were quite rare, known only from the journal of a Foundation Establishment cultivator who never left East Black State.
He then formulated a pill recipe, the Weave Spirit Pill—a level 4 spirit pill recipe—based on the Attract Spirit Herb. This herb strengthened spirit sense but could only be consumed directly, resulting in 10% potency utilization.
Drawing from his knowledge of the Illusion Cloud Sword, he theorized separating the herb's potency into numerous gusts, forming a spirit chi whirlpool to maximize potency. This method, however, relied on his unique understanding of the Illusion Cloud strike, requiring a level 4 spirit pill master, knowledge of the strike, and exceptional spirit sense.
Testing the recipe intrigued him. Spirit-sense enhancing pills were rare due to their difficulty.
He finished just as the examiner announced the time was up. Discussions among the participants revealed the significant number of participants unable to answer the questions; creating a pill recipe was challenging enough, compounded by the unfamiliar herbs.